Process of producing asphalt.



APBLIOATIOK FILED 8152123, 1012.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

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WYTIVESSES W M. BURTON.

PROGESS 0F rnonuome ASPHALT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23,1912; 1 055 701 Patented Mar. 11, 19 13.

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' a; WITNESSES QL INVENTOR 13 1% fiw'lalv. Mm. A

ture gage 5, one construction WILLIAM M. BURTON, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS SIG-NOR '10 STANDARD 01:. COMPANY,

OF WRITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION INDIANA.

PROCESS or 'rnonucme ASPHALT.

Application filed September 28,1912. Serial No. 721,935.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the count-y of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Producing Asphalt, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to the process of pro ducing asphalt by the treatment of the high boiling-point residual portions, and particularly the residue of the distillation of the parafiin group or series of petroleum after the lower boiling point distillates have been removed. 4 k v The object of my invention is to provide a process of treating the aforesaid residue of the paraffin cup of petroleum by successive distillation, whereby the product remaining after such distillation is asphalt and has the same properties, both chemical and physical, as that of Trinidad, Bermuda,

and other naturally occurring asphalts.

My process involves the process disclosed in my Patent, No. 1,049,667, Jan. 7, 1913, with the addition thereto that I take the liquid remaining in the still, after the process disclosed in that application is' completed, and subject the same to .further distillation.

/ A form of apparatus suitable for the practice of my invention is illustrated in the accompanymg drawing, wherein the same part is designated by the same referencenumeral whereverit occurs, and wherein- I Figure 1 is a broken view in vertical 10ngitudina'l section, diagrammatic in character, showing the parts in elevation of the first still and its accessories, and Fig. 2 is a simi lar view of the second still.

1 designates the first still for the treatment of liquid, and it surmounts a fire chamber 2 and is shown to be. equipped with a safety valve 3, to relieve excessive pressure in the still, a pressure gage 4 and a temperaof which is that illustrated, of a tube 5 inclining in- .wardly into the holder through its head,

and closed at its inneri end for containing mercury .or by preference, oil, and adapted to. have withdrawably inserted into it through its outer, open end a suitable thermometer 6 for immersion-into the contents of the tube under subjection to the heat in the holder. A conduit 7 leazds from the top from, to induce the returnof the holder and inclines u wardly thereow into it of unvaporize'd portions of the liquid, to a condenser 8, the'tank of which is shown to be provided with a lower draw-off cock 8.

The condenser-coil 9 discharges at its lower end through a pipe-extension 9 thereof, of

any desired length, into a receiver 10 for the products of condensation. In this ipe, and thus beyond the discharge-end of t e coil, is contained a shut-off valve 11, and it is de- Speciflcation of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

sirable to equip. the coil with a relief-valve 12, shown on the upper end of a pipe 12' ris- "mg from near the lower end of the coil' through the top of the condenser-tank, for

relieving the pressure of the gas which is liable to accumulate-in the coil and obstruct the action of the apparatus. A

13 designates a secondstill into which the residue remaining in the first still is char ed. This still is shown as surmounting a rechamber 14, and is shown as equipped with a safety-valve 15 to relieve excesswe ressure in the still. A- conduit 16 leads rom thetop of the still to a condenser 17 and inclines downwardly from the still to prevent the return flow into the still of any un-.

vaporized liquid. The condenser 19. discharges by its lower end into a tank 20, adapted to receive the condensed dis'tillates from the still 13. It will be noted that as the connection between the still 13 and'the tank 20 is an open one, no excess pressure will be generated in the still 13. Inorder to prevent the cracking of the residue in the still 13 I. introduce'an inert vapor, such as steam, carbon dioxid, or the like, by means of a pipe 21 entering the still, to'the lower end of which is connected a pi e 22 extending longitudinally inside the st1ll adjacent to its bottom, and provided with openings 23 for the escapesteam or other ine length of the still.

In carrying out my process I charge into the still 1 the liquid residue of the arafiin group of petroleum which has a ilingpoint of upward of 500, the charge pref erably being of such an amount as to fill the still about half full, and heat is applied thereto and the pressure held in ,the still at about 4 to about 5 atmospheres. This will cause the liquid to vaporize and to give off its distillates at about 650 to 800 F.. and the distillates are preferably condensed under pressure as fully-described in my apt gases the ofi' from the, first still and char ed into the second still 13'. This liquid resi' ue or tar is lim id about the consistency of thin syrup, an has a greater specific avity than water. After thesecond sti 13 is charged, heat is appliedgthereto from the furnace 14, and steam or other inert :vapor is supplied through the ipe 21', in order to prevent further cracking. The distilling operation is carried on in the ordinary way, using fire under the stilland inert Vapor in the still, until from 60 ;to 70 per cent. of the charge has been taken oil.- as a distillate; then the residue remaini lain the still 13 is withdrawn and permltted to cool. This residue is asphalt, and has; the same chemical and physical characteristicsias the natural asphalt.

ters Patent is-i' 1. The process of -pioducingasphalt which consists indistillin'g at a temperature of from about 650 to about 850 F. the liquid portions of the paradin series of petroleum-distillates having a boiling-point of I have show-ii.itheydistillates as passing upward of 500 F. maintaining by the volatile constituents of said'liquid a pressure on' the liquid of from about 4 to about 5 atmospheres-until the liquid has been reduced to an amount equal to 40 to of its original volume, drawing ofi said liquid residue and from 500 to 700 F. under substantially atmospheric pressure until the major por-.

tion of said liquid residue has been distilled otli, and then permitting the residue to cool.

2. The process of producing asphalt subjecting the same to a temperature of which consists in distilling at a temperaduced to an amount equal to 10 to 50% ot' its original volume, drawing off said liquid residue'and subjecting the same to a temperature of from 500 to 700 F, under substantially atmospheric pressure, introducing an inert vapor into the liquid during said heating, continuing said heating and continuing the introduction of inert vapo'r until themajor portion of said liquid residue has been-distilled oii, and then pcr- -mitting the residue to cool.

In testimony whereof I afix my signa-.

ture in presence of two witnesses:

W'ILLIAMM. BURTON. Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. PHnLrs, Gno. S. LIVINGSTON. 

